Festivals and fairs

Festivals and fairs

There are plenty of festivals and events taking place throughout the year in the Priorat: "Fiestas Mayores", religious processions, traditional dancing... Most festivals take place during the summer months in July and August mainly. These "fiestas" tend to include dancing, traditional dances called "Sardanes" and activities and games for children.

It is worth mentioning a special day which comes at the end of a Fiesta Mayor, which is the "Day of the Lazy". It is a day where there are games for children based on popular culture and folklore.

Religious processions and gatherings often take place in the village hermitage which are scattered around the countryside, usually in places of outstanding natural beauty. If you are interested in the more important events of the Priorat festival calendar, there are four main dates worth remembering:

The first Saturday of September, Poboleda celebrates a festival based on old fashioned harvesting techniques. Visitors can take part in the harvest early in the morning by accompanying villagers to the vineyards, followed by a popular open-air breakfast in the village.

The Festival of the "Encamisada" is celebrated in Falset the weekend closest to Saint Anthony's Day, 17th January. It is linked to a popular legend which dates back to the 18th century when the men of the village took part in an "encamisada" against the invading French.